imperial palace; palace gate
Archaic or literary term for the imperial palace or its gate. Not used in modern everyday Japanese; encountered mainly in historical texts or classical literature.
In old documents, the word 禁闕 sometimes refers to the imperial palace.
Rare kanji spelling for 'imperial palace' or 'palace gate'. The second character 闕 is uncommon in modern Japanese.
Alternate rare spelling using 金 (gold/metal) instead of 禁 (forbidden). Both are historical and not in common use.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The spelling 禁闕 combines 禁 (forbidden) and 闕 (gate/watchtower), suggesting a guarded palace gate. The variant 金闕 uses 金 (gold/metal), possibly implying a magnificent gate. Both are historical and not used in modern Japanese.